The present invention relates to controlling and extinguishing fires, and more particularly the present invention relates to a fire extinguishing device and associated methods.
Fire is a persistent force of nature that causes significant property damage and loss of life. Three components cooperate to drive the chemical combustion reaction that produces fire: extreme heat, a gas (such as oxygen), and a combustible matter (such as a fuel). Using wood as an example of a combustible matter, a fire may result according to the following sequence. First, the wood is heated to a high temperature by any means, such as energy in the form of focused light, energy in the form of friction, or energy in the form of an already burning matter. Next, as the temperature nears about 500 degrees Fahrenheit (the ignition temperature), the cellulose component of the wood begins to decompose. This decomposition causes gases to be released, which gases rise and form the flame of the fire. The heat of the emitted gases provides sufficient heat to maintain the wood at its ignition temperature, thereby perpetuating the fire, assuming a sufficient supply of fuel and oxygen.
Current approaches to controlling and extinguishing fires focus on one or more of the constituents of fire. The current approaches include smothering the fire (to remove the oxygen), cooling the fire (to remove the heat), and starving the fire (to remove the combustible matter).
Existing methods of controlling fires suffer from limited effectiveness. While the use of water to fight fires is one of the oldest methods, it has numerous shortcomings. These negative effects include steam burns, water damage, electrocution, etc. Other methods of fighting fires have evolved and include water chemical foam mixtures, inert gas, and various fire fighting powders that undergo an exothermic reaction to absorb large quantities of heat to quickly extinguish a fire. The water foam spray is gaining popularity as it controls fire better than water. Foam mixtures are used especially to fight flammable liquid and vehicle fires. However, the use of foam is limited by the difficulty of projecting it over a distance. This limitation forces a fire fighter to be physically close to the fire, thereby endangering the life of the fire fighter. Exothermic powders are excellent fire control agents and are widely sold and available in many forms including pressurized fire extinguishers used in homes and businesses. The strength of these powders comes from the very large amount of heat absorbed as the powder undergoes an endothermic chemical reaction. One pound of powder will absorb the heat energy of approximately 100 pounds of water. In order to work effectively, these compounds must be in a fine powder, but because of this most delivery methods can dispense powder just over twenty feet. Many efforts have been made to more effectively deliver these effective fire fighting powders into large fires; however, at the current time, they cannot be effectively used because of the inability to deliver them from a safe distance. When they can be used, such as small fires, they are the most effective method of extinguishing fire. Currently, large fires frequently occur that cannot be extinguished with current technology and sometimes cannot be controlled until they have caused enormous loss of property and life. Thus, there exists a need for an improved device for controlling and extinguishing these currently uncontrollable fires preferably by using these highly effective fire fighting powders.